Defying Death
by JadedKatrina
Summary: When is it ever enough? When does death begin to look like life, when does life begin to imitate death? It has been 7 years since the final and only true battle of the wizarding world. Now one who had been thought of as dead has returned, but will he ever be the same since his brush with death. And will another who has tasted death and been marked as its master be able to help him.


Defying Death

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto…they are owned and created by amazing people that are no me. *cries and pouts*

Summary:

When is it ever enough? When does death begin to look like life, when does life begin to imitate death? It has been 7 years since the final and only true battle of the wizarding world. Now one who had been thought of as dead has returned, but will he ever be the same since his brush with death. And will another who has tasted death and been marked as its master be able to help him cope and grow?

Act 1: To Defy Death

The first thing he noticed when he had returned after that faithful night was pain, cold burning pain. He didn't know if it was from the venom that he had been injected with or if it was just because he was returning from the Sommerlands where he had finally been able to meet with those that had gone before him. The man didn't know how long he had been gone, but something told him it had been a long time and that his return would be changing many things. He tried to move but his limbs were heavy and not responding to his wants and needs to move. It seemed that beyond the pain his entire body was paralyzed. Even his eyelids were not responding and he was awake, at least that was what he thought anyways. A groan left his that as the pain spiked suddenly, leaving him nearly breathless and unable to call for help.

The formerly dead man started though when he felt a cool hand brush long hair from his face, a voice that was familiar yet not spoke. He tried to focus on the soft lilting words, gasping them like a drowning man would a life preserver. The other wanted to respond, desperately wanted answers but nothing came beyond another strangled mewling sound. The hand left his forehead, a whimper of loss coming from the lack of human contact. That and the hand was a relief to the burning that seemed to be taking over his everything. The man tried desperately to get the other to return, but he or she did not. Before he could try and force his eyelids open he fell again into the darkness, a silent cry of despair that he was leaving the living world again.

The man given life again return to a waking state once again, not sure how long it had been since his last attempt at trying to wake. He could tell that it had been a while since his last attempt. Something though was different, the burning pain was gone but so was the feeling of helplessness that had taken over his entire body and senses the last time he was pseudo-awake. He opened his eyes slowly, hissing as the dim light seemed to burn straight into his retinas to the point his abused eyes were watering. He closed his eyes quickly, gasping when he heard a melodic chuckle coming somewhere to his left. He sensed more than saw the other being walk over to his bedside and the soft click of a lamp being tuned off came to his ears.

"There now that should help," the owner of the chuckle said, "Slowly open your eyes and let them adjust. There is a candle lit but it will not be as bright as the lamp."

The man slowly opened his eyes, the flicker of the candle light not as harsh as the artificial light of the lamp. It still made him wince some, a telling sign of how long it has been since he used that particular sense. He looked around, seeing that he was in a room that was fit for a king in a way. The dark wood of the canopy bed matched that of the dresser and wardrobe. But the floor was not wood, it was some kind of marble or stone polished to a bright shine. The rugs tossed about the large room were cream and silver. A sitting area by an unlit fireplace had two comfortable looking chairs in the same cream and silver coloring.

The man again heard the soft chuckle and turned to try and figure out who his savior was. As soon as his eyes fell upon the other they widened in shock. Though it was not the brightest idea as he suddenly whimpered in pain. A whimper that he was ashamed had left his throat. There at his bedside was Harry Potter, but he did not look the same as when he saw him last after he was attacked by the snake Nagini. No this version was older by about seven years. Harry Potter's hair was longer, bushing beyond his shoulders and pulled into a tail at the nape of his neck. His once vibrant green eyes were dulled some as if he lost part or all of his sight.

"P-Potter?" the other managed to rasp out, though it was barely audible.

"Easy there professor," The other said, stepping knowingly over the threshold to get a glass of water, returning and holding the straw up to parched lips, "Sip slowly," came the response.

The other man sipped the cool water, relief showing on his face. He wanted to down it but knew he would be ill if he did so. He finished for the moment, moving back a bit and releasing the straw to indicate he was done. He watched the man set the glass on a table before returning. The same cool hand rested on his forehead and a strange green light left it. It was cool and warm at the same time and something told him this was not the normal magic but something else entirely.

"Potter…what happened?" he asked.

"What do you remember from that night Professor Snape?" he asked the other man after he finished his diagnostic check.

"Burning and freezing pain. Telling you to take my tears, then nothing." He said, "At least not until I woke up again, then it was burning excruciating pain. How long?"

"You have been in a state of pseudo-death for the better part of seven years," Harry told his former potions master, "They were going to burn your body but I stole it." He started, "You were not dead, in a type of magical coma."

"Coma? How did you know this?" He asked, never taking his eyes from the other man there.

"I am not a dumb as I may have seen in school. I had my reasons for being as I was back then," Harry said, "But I did research after stealing your body. I kept your body so it would not degrade and I knew that I had to learn to brew potions better. After the war you were deemed a hero, but the British Ministry did not want to help anyone like you or myself. Hell they all but hunted me down to try and imprison me, saying I was the next Dark Lord coming."

Severus saw the weary look in the other's eyes, "Where are we?" he asked.

"I will get to that in a moment. I knew your body was working on healing the poison in your body and that was why you were on the brink of death. I had to flee though, find a place where I can help you heal and return to the living. For all intents and purposes you _were_ dead." Harry told him.

"Dead…I… I saw her then. I saw Lily, my best friend and…" he didn't finish the thought, but looked up when he heard Harry finish it.

"Lost love. I saw your memories, I saw how my father treated you." He told him, "and I saw how much you loved and cared for my mother. Thank you for trying to protect us."

The potions master started at this, "I would have moved heaven and earth for Lily…and you. I am sorry for not seeing you for you."

"Don't worry about it." He said, "Anyways I fled here to the Elemental Nations, the hidden continents. Sorry to say it was a one way trip for us, though there is a trunk that the Goblins enchanted to send me things when I need them. Potion ingredients that are not found here and books that I needed to help you get better."

"The Hidden Continents? I thought it was a myth," he said.

Harry chuckled as he turned and moved to the door, opening it a bit and speaking to someone outside before returning, "I have food coming," he said, "So did I till the spell I was using opened a portal here. That was six years ago. I have been living in Konohagakure for five and a half years of that. The one getting you a meal of broth is my adopted little brother Naruto. I found him when I went looking for a particular herb. I had been living in an expanded tent with you for six months. I helped him out, feeding him and healing him before he led me to his village which was only a few miles from where we were at."

"How were you not found?" Severus had to ask, knowing the myths spoke of men and women with extraordinary senses and magic that was vastly different from those back in their world.

"Not sure to tell the truth, dumb luck and Professor McGonnagall would say?" he said with a lopsided grin, "Nonetheless I adopted him even after finding out about his secret, which I will let him tell you. Then when he and his godfather brought back Tsunade-sama she helped me care for you. That is why you are awake now and…and not dead."

Severus could see the pain in the dulled green eyes, and realized that there was more the young man was not telling him, "How bad is it? What am I looking at for the rest of my life?"

"Tsunade-sama will be by tomorrow morning to do a better check on you. But you lost a lot of mobility in your leg, your face and neck are scarred thanks to Nagini's fangs. I am not sure what else though. My skills with medical ninjutsu is rudimentary at best," he said, "but we still have our magic and it is considered a kekkai genkai… or bloodline limit. We only have it and we will eventually have to decide if we want to form a clan or not."

There was a knock on the bedroom door and a young man with bright yellow hair came in carrying a tray that had a bowl of broth and tea on it. He headed for the empty bedside table and smiled at Severus before turning and speaking to Harry in a language he knew as a form of Japanese, though he could not understand it.

"Thanks Naruto," Harry said in English, "Go ahead and switch to English for now."

Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry… I didn't mean to be rude." He said rubbing the back of his head, "I am Uzumaki-Black Naruto." He said, "You must be Aniki's friend. He has been worried about you, to the point Baa-chan almost knocked him out with her insane super strength." The other rambled on some.

Harry laughed softly, "Naruto… you are rambling," he said, "sorry he does than when nervous. I am glad he doesn't do that on certain types of missions he takes."

Severus looked amused then blinked as the blond gently helped him to sit up, "It's alright. You used to do that when under my glare." He said with a weak smirk.

Harry blushed when Naruto laughed, "So aniki isn't as cool and collected huh?" he asked and dodged the smack aimed at the back of his head, "Oh aniki I have a mission I am leaving on later tonight. I will be with Inu and Mongoose" he said.

Harry nodded, "be safe and remember your fuuinjutsu," he said then lifted the tray and set it on Severus' lap.

Severus looked a bit lost, but figured it was something to do with what those from the Hidden Continents could do, "What do you do here?" he asked Harry when the blond left.

"I opened an apothecary and tea shop, though there are times I am called upon to help on a mission. My tracking skills are quite amazing for a civilian." He said, "I was hoping once you woke and were able to move out of the bed, you'd maybe want to take over the apothecary."

"You wouldn't mind?" he asked, "It is your shop after all."

"You are the potion master and I knew you would need something to do. Despite your gruff demeanor during school, I could tell your love of brewing was always there. And you appreciated when your potions helped someone." Harry explained, "besides it would help me out when I am sent on missions. As it is right now, I have to close the shop down till I return."

"When I am cleared to do so I will do so," he said, pausing in the sipping of the broth. He glared at his hand suddenly as he noticed it was shaking gently.

Harry laid a hand onto the shaking extremity, "It will stop eventually. Your body has been in stasis for seven years remember. Even with Tsunade-sama working with you, it still happened." He whispered, "neither of us came away without scars. Use your magic and 'look' at me."

Severus blinked but then did so, feeling his magic surge to the surface quickly as if waiting for him to do so. He then looked at the other man and saw the magic surrounding his eyes along with something else that he was not familiar with. He then realized that Harry was blind and using an obscure spell and something else combined to help him to 'see'.

"When I release the spell and jutsu I will see nothing. As it is right now I see basic shapes and no color. It is rare for anyone with my disability to be a shinobi or even act as one. But I proved myself in battle more times than not." He explained then winced when he heard the front door bang open and sighed, "Expect to be pounced." He warned.

Severus was about to ask about that when he heard the footsteps rush up the stairs and bedroom door fling open. All he saw was a blur and then he had a child attached to his waist. He tried to figure out who it was and saw the hair change colors and realized this was the wolf and Tonk's child. The potion master looked at Harry, curious about this.

"He found a way to latch on when I transported us here. I was going to tell you but I had laid quite a bit on you already." He said, "He thinks of you as his uncle."

Teddy looked up "I…didn't hurt you did I?" he asked the eight year old asking softly.

Severus shook his head, "No little one, not at all." He said rubbing the back slowly, "though you should remember not to pounce people that were ill or hurt until you are certain it will not harm them." He admonished gently.

The shifter blushed, "sorry. I forget at times." He said then moved, "Tou-san! They want to take us for a field trip for three days. Is it okay? I have the permission slip!"

Harry laughed, "yes yes, now go and bug your other uncle." He told the boy, "I am going to get your Uncle Sev settled in and resting again."

Teddy grinned, hugged Severus then darted out of the room leaving behind a chuckling Severus, "He is far different from the withdrawn child right before the Battle of Hogwarts" he said.

"Yes he is. He has been attending the shinobi academy and has grown into an energetic young man that keeps me on my toes. Between him and Naruto I don't know how I don't have more gray hairs on my head. How did you deal with all of us without either going bald or gray?"

"Who says I didn't go gray?" Severus said with a smirk then a yawn, "how can I be tired?"

"You were in a coma, not natural sleep," Harry said picking up the tray, "go ahead and get some sleep. Tomorrow morning Tsunade-sama will be in to check you over and probably set up your physical therapy schedule." He said then paused at the door, "I am glad you pulled through." He then left.

Severus sighed a moment then slowly laid down, closing his eyes and sleep overtook him. His dreams though were filled with pain and loneliness and cold emptiness.

Cold eyes watched the scene from the window, taking in what was said about the men and their clan in a sense. The one watching smirked and then vanished, heading to inform it's master of what was heard and observed.

Author Notes: Okay this is the first installment of my latest story. I was watching the last Harry Potter movie and Snape's death scene pulled this one into play. I hope that you like it. Please review and enjoy.


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